18 comments:

Sounds a fair plan and no issues with on road parking or noise to neighbours. But a pamper room is ridiculous, if parents have the time for a pedicure they could be looking after their own kids. Also how long before they're offering make up sessions for the tots?

I have no issue with the plan for a nursery, but I disagree that there are no issues with road parking. I am concerned that too many parents will pull up on the road and not use (or be unable to use) the spaces planned: even 30 cars arriving within a short period of time will lead to congestion, and 89 nursery places are planned. This is a busy road and exit from the road opposite needs to be taken with care because of the bend and speed of traffic coming from Solihull. Any cars parked on the verges would compound this.

This is a very worrying application. The earlswood/box trees junction (opposite) is already dangerous with cars going at speed in both directions on Box trees. There is a severe visibility problem with cars entering box trees from earlswood rd and cars on box trees (from solihull) unable to see each other until the last minute. Cars from earlswood need to do a standing start looking over their shoulder while box trees traffic have little reaction time to deal with previously hidden cars. Okay now add in up to 89 cars for parents, more for the beauty salon and up to 30 staff manoeuvring and vying for only 20 parking places at rush hour times. All cars entering and leaving through the same gate with apparently very limited space for turning in the parking area. Cars would inevitably park on surrounding roads creating further visibility problems. Now factor in no pavements, parents distracted by their children and each other, Children who love to run about, grass verges unsuitable for walking on. Car doors open in the road as childseats are unfastened... The road is also prone to fog in winter. This is a recipe for disaster. I urge all concerned to think again.

I was saddened to see that people were negative about the opening of a new nursery in Dorridge. As a mother, I struggled to find a suitable Nursery when my daughter was young in the area. Surely, with Natural Childcare Company track record with 2 Outstanding Ofsted, it will only serve to drive up standards in the Nursery business and offer greater choice for mothers. I unfortunately, could not find a high quality, well staffed nursery at that time and my daughter went to a fantastic childminder instead.

Also as a first time mum, you can often feel isolated with a new child. Not only do you have the joy a new child brings, but there is a huge adjustment to your family life. One thing that helps any mum is the idea of meeting other mums in similar situations, sharing experiences and forming long lasting friendships through playgroups, church groups etc. I understand that the Natural Childcare Company Dorridge Nursery is not only going to offer childcare places, but also postnatal support groups. This must be a positive attribute, allowing local mums to meet in a friendly atmosphere. I think the more groups there are in the area will give greater support to those mums who are feeling isolated. They can plan their week around the various postnatal checks, baby groups, NCT group etc.

The nursery will also provide much needed employment to the local area in this time of recession. Its location is away from any schools, shops and businesses on a road that has just through traffic. Therefore, not causing any further congestion around residential areas that we see around local schools, where parents drive to school and park on the surrounding streets. I would imagine that a lot of the children who would attend the Nursery will come from the surrounding Knowle/Dorridge area. Even if parents came from further away, the site has easy access from Box Trees or Gate Lane, avoiding the centres of Knowle/Dorridge/Bentley Heath.

In the end we all want our children to go to a safe, nurturing and homely environment where they can learn through play.

A fantastic opportunity to bring jobs and new life into the area. Residents should be applauding the desire to bring outstanding care and education of the next generation to the area.There are so many nurseries out there who have appauling standards its refreshing to think there are still individuals who strive to go above and beyond for children and their families.I wish them every sucess.

So this is an entirely altruistic venture and the people involved don't stand to make vast amounts of money from it?? Are you by any chance related to the lady who knows so much about the company involved and left her views 8 minutes before your own?

No i am not a family member purely coinsidental.I am however a nursery manager and therefore strongly dissagree with the parking comments as parents will be in and out at differing times.Through personal experience i do not see parking or the safety of children as a concern

Ridiculously inadequate car park- so where else do you park? Outside.. Fast 50 mph road, No streetlights, No pavements, dangerous bend with bad visibility, dangerous junction opposite, Cars parking, turning and leaving. Would I want to walk my child through all this on a dark wet winter morning at rush hour? I think not! The issue here is not about jobs or how good the nursery is inside, It is about peoples, and primarily children's safety.

I have heard there is meant to be a shuttle bus service for staff and children which is a fantastic idea. At the nursery my son is attending now there isnt much parking but as the drop off times vary hugely and parents are only in there for upto five minutes, there is rarely any need for additional parking.

As for the pamper rooms, i am hugely in favour for as having a young toddler and working full time means that i dont get time to take care of myself and having a beautician at the site would mean i could get to spend an hour on me while my child is safe, and in excellent care at the same time. This would be very beneifical to help prevent post natal depression in new mums too.

Why should you know about the shuttlebus? Do you have young children? I am simply making my opinion and all you seem to do is Mock erverybody. None of your posts have the children's welfare in mind.!! Suggest? I know that parents drop at various times of the day because I am one of them who do!!!!

I am a parent and have used a popular nursery so I know how busy it can be at drop off and pick up times. Some may behave differently but the vast majority of people drop their children before work and pick them up afterwards. These are dangerous times around any nursery. I also know how expensive childcare is and can imagine how lucrative and attractive a nursery of this size near Dorridge could be for a company. Everybody is free to have their own opinions but many of the posts in favour of this application read to me like adverts for the company and contain details about them and their plans and achievements that I wouldn’t expect many people to know. With regard to the shuttlebus. It is not mentioned in the article or and no provision is made for it in the car park plan. The questions are legitimate and you haven’t answered them. I’m sorry if some of my comments have come across as impolite but to imply that I do not have childrens welfare in mind is a gross distortion of the truth. I am simply trying to stop children and parents being killed or maimed because I know what a dangerous place this is. I urge anyone who reads this to drive by the site, particularly after dark or use google peopleview to make up their own minds what the road visibility of the place is like.

If you are concerned but have not yet written to the Council, it is still worth doing so, if only to register an interest. You will then get notified if any alternative scheme is put forward. Email planning@solihull.gov.uk quoting 2013/79 and ask to be informed of any future applications on the site.

I think this is a great addition to the childcare options in the area. Early birds is being taken over by Knowle school from September so no longer an option. They didn't take under twos anyway. I drive my daughter 7 miles from Knowle to an ofsted outstanding nursery. This company looks to have proven track record and is exciting for working mums such as me.